Night terrors can be incredibly frightening, particularly for the parent who is witness to one.
Night terrors can be incredibly frightening, particularly for the parent who is witness to one. The child is usually asleep and is not aware of what is going on - they aren’t likely to remember it happening when they wake up either.
However, their screaming and crying while in a dream-like state can be very scary. Night terrors can last anything from a few seconds to a few minutes. Thankfully, they aren't really cause for concern unless they are affecting your child’s sleep or putting them at risk in any way.
We recently posted a question on our Facebook page after a reader got in touch about their son’s night terrors.
This parent wanted advice from FamilyFriendlyHQ readers whose child had or is having night terrors.
You will find their advice below:
1. “My son had the same thing. We discovered it only happened if he didn’t use the toilet before bed or if he kept his socks on going to bed. It’s terrifying but they do grow out of it.”
2. “My son suffered from them too. I brought him to a homeopath six months ago and haven't looked back since. I wasn't a big believer in it but it worked for his night terrors and my other son's recurring ear infections. I was willing to try anything for both. It worked fab for us.”
3. “My son has night terrors regularly. He wakes screaming and crying, he appears to be awake but he is still in a dream state. He eventually calms down after a lot of reassurance and goes back to sleep. He has no memory of it in the morning.”
4. “Make sure they don’t overheat in bed apparently this can add to the likelihood of having them.”
5. “It is more upsetting for you cause they generally don't remember. Stay calm. Lots of cuddles.”
6. “Our daughter had night terrors when she was young and I agree it is scary. We bought her a dream catcher and hung it in her window which helped with the terrors. She still has one now and she is 22.”